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Seth looked to the ceiling in obvious frustration at, what, her? He had to be kidding. Seth continued, “That bullshit included a post that could threaten the deal to sell Shazad to your dad’s company, but also another trying to screw with Heath’s career in the Seattle PD.”
She flicked her gaze to the cop.
“It’s true,” Heath said. “You weren’t the only one given a front row seat on Seth’s Facebook timeline. My Captain isn’t pleased with the PR fallout this fuck-up created.”
She tried to process this new information. Someone wanted to ruin the sale of Seth’s company and targeted his brother, too?
To destroy Seth? His family? What?
Pinning her gaze on Seth, she said, “So what was I? A convenient target?” But, hang on, that didn’t make sense. “I only met you yesterday. How could anyone even know about me?” And there was the most damming evidence. “The chocolate cake, Seth. Nobody but us knew about that.”
Seth shook his head. “The photo of Seven Dishes was taken just after I left, Harper. I was eating the extra cake you gave me when I hit the street. I’m guessing the bastard saw me.”
Okay, that was plausible.
Then a new thought entered her mind, and with it a heavy lump of dread weighed deep in her belly. “If you’re telling the truth, that means whoever did this followed us?”
Seth took a moment to answer, as if weighing up his words. “Heath’s checking CCTV of the area, but for now, that’s our best guess.”
She closed her eyes as her shoulders slumped. Someone had watched them go in and waited outside all that time for him to leave.
“Harper,” Seth gripped the back of her neck. “I won’t allow anyone to hurt you,” he said, his tone as unshakable as the fingers curled into her hair.
Ten minutes ago, she’d been sure Seth had played her. Some sick put-on so he could act out his narcissistic joke the next day on social media.
That didn’t gel with the guy standing in front of her.
“Honey,” Jinx murmured at her left.
She glanced at her friend, whose questioning gaze showed Harper wasn’t the only one coming to the realization her initial reaction was hasty.
But not everything was clear to her yet. “Why would someone want to go after you? Or Heath?” Was there some evil secret in the Justice family vault?
“I have no fucking idea. But my brothers and I are going to rip hell apart to find out who and why and make the bastard wish he was never born.” Seth cupped her face, firming his hold when she would have pulled away. She silently cursed her traitorous body as pleasure streamed through her at his show of dominance. “Harper, I promise you I’d never purposely hurt you, especially in such a gutless way. I’m not that guy.”
And he wasn’t. She knew that. Had known that truth deep down but had let the shock and humiliation overrule her judgment.
Which was totally understandable, considering it wasn’t every day such an elaborate—What would she call this mess? A sick prank, an attack?—played out with her as an unwilling participant.
However, this situation was too rough and real after just one night together. “I believe you.” Harper bit her lip as Seth sighed in relief. “But I think it’s best I give you some space to sort things out, especially with my dad.”
All trace of relief vanished from Seth’s face, replaced by a deep frown as he dropped his hand. “Now that I know there’s a threat, Dillon and I are issuing a statement stating the posts are fraudulent. That automatically decreases the imposter’s impact and makes any future posts negligible. I’m meeting with your father in an hour, and we’ll sort out his concerns.”
No doubt her dad would manipulate circumstances to his advantage. “You’ve spoken to him this morning?”
Seth drew in a breath and released it before speaking. “Yeah.”
Dillon tossed his phone on Seth’s desk, and for the first time, she noticed the way his tie was askew, as if he’d wrenched it loose from his shirt collar. “He’s playing hardball, citing a clause in the Letter of Intent signed yesterday that the deal depended on no adverse events between then and the sale.” Hands on his hips, he said, “Now he wants to renegotiate.”
That didn’t sound good. “Did he mention the post about me?” God, but she hated that thread of need in her voice.
Seth’s gaze gentled, and her gut twisted. He knew his answer mattered, but he wouldn’t lie. “Not at the time.”
Of course not. She’d been a fool to expect anything else. Any anger Stanton Fox felt over her public embarrassment would be directed toward Harper. Just another way she’d disappointed him.
“Bastard.” Jinx’s soft muttering was no surprise, considering how much she loathed Harper’s dad. And truthfully, Jinx acknowledging his failure to defend his daughter felt like a big warm hug.
“Since you have a deal to save, that’s where you should focus. I’ll just”—Run? Wait a couple of weeks?—“give you that space I mentioned.” Keeping the outcome vague seemed the best answer.
